Following recent undersea cable cuts that
challenged connectivity in many countries in the West African region, Nigeria
has called for a coordinated and multilateral approach by the region to protect
shared telecommunications infrastructure, and diversify connectivity to ensure
uninterruptible connections.
Executive
Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Aminu Maida, made
the submission in a statement delivered at the 21st West Africa
Telecommunications Regulatory Assembly (WATRA) Annual General Meeting (AGM)
held in Freetown, Sierra Leone, between March 19th and 22nd 2024.
Dr. Maida,
whose message was delivered at the forum by the Deputy Director, Public Affairs
of the Commission, Nnenna Ukoha, stated that the recent submarine cable cuts
that resulted in nationwide outages on multiple networks in 12 African
countries has raised the urgent need for the sub-region to establish a
mechanism to protect itself from damage to submarine infrastructure and its
attendant impact on the sub-region.
Maida
referred to a report by Cloudflare, an IT service management firm, which
indicates that about six countries, including four West African countries, were
still suffering from the outages caused by the submarine cable cuts, to
buttress the call
“Securing telecom infrastructure is paramount
for fostering Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and enhancing investor confidence
in the West African sub-region. The reliability and resilience of
telecommunications networks are crucial factors that investors consider when
evaluating regional opportunities.
“By ensuring the security of these vital
assets, we can attract more investment, spur economic growth, and enhance our
competitiveness on the global stage. A secure telecoms infrastructure not only
facilitates efficient communication and connectivity but also signals a
commitment to safeguarding critical assets essential for business operations.
This assurance can significantly boost investor confidence and create a
conducive environment for sustainable economic development," he said.
According
to him, "the impact of events like cable cuts highlights the need for a
coordinated, multilateral approach to protecting shared infrastructure across
our member nations.”
Maida
therefore, proposed “the urgent need to set up a framework for joint
monitoring, risk mitigation, and emergency response procedures for the
submarine cables that pass through the sub-region.
“Further to this, we recommend that the WATRA
Working Group on Infrastructure expand its mandate to spearhead the development
of a comprehensive strategy to safeguard the sub-region’s telecommunications
networks and associated infrastructure thereby proactively bolstering
resilience through improved disaster response protocols to better insulate
ourselves from future disruptions.”
He advised
that the goals of the Working Group would be to strengthen sub-regional
infrastructure resilience, promote the diversification of the sub-region’s
connectivity, conduct regular capacity assessments, as well as facilitate the
designation of telecommunications infrastructure as critical national infrastructure
in member countries.
The West
Africa Telecommunications Regulators Assembly was established in 2002 as a
common platform for national telecommunication regulatory authorities in 16
member states to promote the adoption of regulations that stimulate investment
in telecommunication infrastructure to deliver more affordable, accessible, and
faster and secure communication services to citizens.
At the
21st WATRA Annual General Meeting, issues pertaining to accessible and
affordable telecommunication services in the sub-region were discussed,
including improved consumer protection, quality of service, and roaming and conflict
resolution for consumers.
A major
highlight of the AGM was the reelection of Nigeria’s Engr. Yusuf Aliyu Aboki,
as Executive Secretary, for a second term in a unanimous vote by the member
countries.
The EVC of
NCC commended Engr. Aboki for his firm, inclusive and visionary leadership,
which saw the successful delivery of WATRA’s 2022 — 2025 Strategic Plan, noting
that Nigeria and indeed the sub-region was proud of the milestones he had
achieved during his first tenure.
He further advised the WATRA Executive
Secretary to build on the achievements of his first tenure, through stronger
partnerships and deeper collaboration while advancing the interests of the
sub-regional body.
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